Pressing cloth



Nov. 20, 1945. 1'. SMITH 2,389,216

PRESSING CLOTH Filed Jan. 20, 1943 -o0oo0o0c0oo0o00000000000o000000000000000Oooooooooocooooooocoz 0000000coon0 000000oouoo0o00o0000000000000000000000ooaoo00o oo oocooo'oon0000000OoOooooooooooOooOooooooooooooooooooooooo O0000000000 0000000-0000000 00000000000000000000000000000000 O000' 00000 0000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000000 0000gOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cooooooooooooooco0000000000000000000000000000 0090000000000 00000000000000OoooO OoOOooooocOoOOOnoouoooacoooooooooooooooa '00 0050000000 000000000000000000000000000000000o0no00OoOoo00O 0000000000000000000000000000ooooooaoouooooooocooqooo0000000 nooooo00000000000000000000000000ooouoocoOOO'OOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 00000 00000000000(2000000000000000000oooooooooooaoooooooooo 00000000000OOQOoOOooooOoooo00000000 0000000000'000000000000 000000000ooooocoooooaooooo nooooooo 000000000000000000 000 booaooo00000000000000000o0on000000000\\o0aoooooonooanooooono I ENTOR.

pressing cloths and method of Patented Nov. 20,1945

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,389,216 raassmo CLOTH poration of Wisconsin Application January 20, 1943, Serial No. 472.922

8 Claims.

f This invention relates to improvements in pressing garments.

It is common practice in ironing certain fabrics, such as woolens or the like, to use a dampened pressing cloth. This serves not only to prevent scorching of the garment but also as 9. moistening agent. With the ordinary pressing cloth, however, there is no way of properly controlling the amount of moisture or the distribution of moisture onto the face of the garment. Furthermore, when the pressing cloth is wet. movement of the iron over the material is diflicult due to a tendency for the wet cloth to stick to the sole plate of the iron. It has, heretofore, been proposed to treat the material of a pressing cloth with a dressing which will cause the iron to glide more easily and prevent the fibres of the cloth from absorbing too much water. In this article, steam generated from water on top of the cloth is forced by the hot iron to pass through the pores of the cloth. Inasmuch as the cloth has been treated with a waxy dressing, there is no assurance of uniformity in the pore openings.

Furthermore, due to the necessity for the steam to pass through the pores, continued use will cause wearing away of the wax in certain of the most frequently used areasof the cloth. Thus the effectiveness of the cloth will gradually decrease and the uniformity of distribution of moisture into the garment will be impaired.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved pressing cloth so constructed as to permanently control the distribution of moisture in the form of steam onto the face of the garment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article as above described having definite openings for the passage of steam wherein the cloth is so treated as to retard the passage of steam through the areas of the cloth between the openings. Thus positive control of the steaming operation is provided through the spacing of said openings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressing cloth as above described wherein the openings may be of such size in certain areas or so grouped with varying spacing as to provide for a greater amount of steaming below certain areas "the trouser creases, may be formed with a larger number of perforations per unit of area or with holes of larger diameter than in the center portion of the cloth. Thus the center of the trousers will not be dampened an unnecessary amount, and at the same time a substantially greater amount of steam will be delivered to the edges to effectively set the creases.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of steam pressing comprising perforating a waterproofed piece of cloth substantially throughout the extent of said piece, laying the perforated piece of cloth on the garment, applying water to the upper surface of the cloth, and pressin with an iron to convert the water into steam on the upper side of the.

cloth and cause the steam'to pass through the perforations onto the surface of the garment below.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pressing cloth having a surface which permits the iron to glide freely during use; to provide a cloth wherein the. water-repellent coating will be preserved for an indefinite period, and to provide a pressing cloth which serves to ventilate and hasten the drying out of those portions of the garment over which the iron has already passed.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved pressing cloth and method of pressing garments, and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved pressin cloth;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an exaggerated scale showing how the steam passes through the perforations, the dot-and-dash lines indicating the nose of a pressing iron; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the improved pressing method serves to impart the properties of a steaming iron to an ordinary household iron by permitting only steam to contact the surface of the garment,being pressed. In carrying out the method a piece of waterproofed fabric such as a close-woven high count cotton sheeting is punched to form spaced perforations substantially throughout the extent of the piece of material. These perforations preferably range from J; of an inch in diameter to a! of an inch. The waterproofed fabric thus perforated is laid over a garment and water is applied to the top surface of the pressing cloth by the use of a sponge or clothes sprinkler. Due to the waterproofed nature of the pressing cloth the water will stand in small globules on the surface and will not pass through to the other side because of the waterproofing and because of the fact that the holes are too small to permit the passage of drops of water therethrough. An ordinary pressing iron is then used in the conventional manner. The action of the iron i to convert the globules of water 8 on top of the pressing cloth into steam. Inasmuch as the pressing cloth is waterproofed, and inasmuch as the holes through the pressing cloth provide the easiest course or escape for the steam, the steam will pass through the holes as indicated at I in Fig. 3 and then travel beneath the pressing cloth as at 8 in contact .with the top surface of the garment.

In preparing pressing cloths commercially for carrying out the improved method, a piece of high count, close-woven cotton sheeting l, or any other suitable fabric is first cut to the desired size. Next the cloth 9 is treated by immersion or in any other suitable manner with a waterrepellent or waterproofing solution.

It is preferred to utilize for this purpose an aqueous emulsion of waxes, aluminum salts, and an emulsifying agent. The wax is preferably a mineral wax such as paraflln, but it may be a vegetable wax such as candelill'a, or an animal wax such as beeswax. The aluminum salt is preferably aluminum stearate, and the emulsifying agent may be a soap or other colloid. The water repellent solution which is marketed under the trade name of "Drax produces very satisfactory results. The ingredients of this waterproofing material may be mixed in such amounts as to fill of approximately six (6%) per produce a (8%) based on the original weight cent to eight of the fabric.

After the cotton sheeting has been thus treated with the wet solution it is subjected to heat and pressure, preferably by means of steam heated rollers to calender the cloth. This produces a very thorough impregnation of the fibres and renders the pressing cloth substantially water- 4 proof.

Either before or after treatment the cloth is punched to form holes Ill substantially throughout its area. These holes may be laid out evenly in rows extending in two directions with the holes approximately one-half of an inch apart. When so spaced the holes are preferably of an inch in diameter. Inasmuch as the fabric is waterrepellent in between the holes, any steam gen-' erated on top of the cloth must pass through the holes to get between the lower surface of the pressing cloth and the garment. By having properly spaced holes the distribution of the steam onto the garment is positively controlled. With other pressing cloths, on the other hand, where steam and water pass through the pores of the cloth, there is a substantial lack of uniformity in the moistening action.

It is a feature of the present invention to group the holes so as to provide for a greater amount of steaming beneath certain portions of th pressing cloth than beneath other portions thereof. Fig. 1 illustrates a pressing cloth particularly adapted for the pressing of trousers wherein a substantial amount of steam is desired over the creases. Accordingly the edge portions II and I! are provided with a plurality of rows,- such as four each, of holes l3,

and II which are spaced relatively close to each other, preferably one-half inch apart. Between the rows l3 and M are longitudinal rows I! which are spaced farther apart, preferably one inch apart. Thus in use of this pressing cloth more steam will be delivered from beneath the edge portions H and I! of the cloth than from beneath the center portion thereof. This will eliminate dampening of the center portion of the trousers an unnecessary amount and will therefore speed up the ironing operation. On the other hand the creased portions of the trousers will receive a substantially greater amount of steam to effectively set the creases.

Another method of accomplishing this same purpose is illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein holes I6 and I1 adjacent the longitudinal edges may be of maximum diameter, such as g, of an inch, with rows l8 and I9, positioned inwardly of the rows l8 and II, which are of decreased diameter such as of an inch, and with a group of center rows which are of minimum diameter such as a: of an inch.

In all forms of the invention the pores of the fabric are substantially closed by the waterrepellent material and all steam generated by the-heat of the pressing iron 2| from'the drops of water 6 on top of the pressing cloth is compelled to travel between the sole plate of the iron and the top surface of the fabric until it finds an outlet to travel downwardly as at I through the holes It. When the steam reaches the lower side of the pressing cloth it will again travel laterally as at 8 between the lower surface of the pressing cloth and the top surface of the garment being ironed. Thus the holes provide for a positive control of the distribution of the steam and for efficient steam pressing. The waxy coating on top of the fabric permits the iron to glide freely during use and therefore speeds up the ironing operation. Due to the use of the perforations, steam will not try to force its way through the pores of -the fabric to wear away the waterproofing material. Thus the waterproofing will last for an indefinite period of time.

Although only a few forms of the invention have been shown and described, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising a piece of closely woven fabric having a, firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface treated with waterproofing material to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said waterproofing material being stable under the heat of a pressing iron, said fabric having spaced steam distributing punchings extending through the waterproofing material and the fabric to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said punchings onto the garment below, the punchings in certain areas of the fabric being more closely spaced than in other areas.

2. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising a piece of closely woven fabric having a firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface treated with waterproofing material to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said punchings onto the garment below,

the punchings in certain areas of the fabric being v of greater diameter than in other areas.

3. A pressin cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising a piece of fabric treated with waterproofing material comprising an aqueous emulsion of wax, aluminum salt, and an emulsifying agent, to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said fabric having spaced steam distributing perforations to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said perforations onto the garment below.

4. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising a piece of closely woven fabric having a firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface treated with waterproofing material to render said upper surface substantially waterproof, said waterproofing material being stable under the heat of a pressing iron, said fabric having spaced steam distributing punchings extending through the waterproofing material and the fabric to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said punchings ontothe garment below.

5. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising a piece of closely woven fabric having a firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface 6. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising a piece of closely woven fabric having a firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface treated with waterproofing material to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said fabric having spaced steam distributing perforations extending through the waterproofing material and the fabric to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said perforations onto the garment below, the perforations adjacent side edges of the fabric being of greater diameter than the perforations therebetween,

'7. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comp-rising an elongated piece of closely woven fabric having relatively short end edges and having relatively long longitudinal edges and a firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface treated with waterproofing material to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said fabric having spaced steam distributing perforations extending through the waterproofing material and the fabric .to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said perforations onto the garment below, the perforations adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fabric being more closely spaced than the perforations -therebetween.

treated with waterproofing material to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said fabric having spaced steam distributing perforations extending through the waterproofing material and the fabric to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said perforations onto the garment below, the perforaflons adjacent side edges of the fabric being more glosely spaced than the perforations therebe- 8. A pressing cloth positionable over a garment to be pressed comprising an elongated piece of closely woven fabric having relatively short end edges and having relatively long longitudinal edges and a firm lower garment contacting surface, said fabric having its upper surface treated with waterproofing material to render the upper surface substantially waterproof, said fabric having spaced steam distributing perforations extending through the waterproofing material and the fabric to provide for the spaced discharge of steam from the upper waterproofed surface of the pressing cloth through said perforations onto the garment below, the perforations adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fabric being of greater diameter than the perforations therebetween.

ALVA '1. SMITH. 

